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A. Kay Stansfield Spinks Law Student Scholarship Program

The A. Kay Stanfield Spinks Law Student Scholarship encourages law students to excel in their legal studies, with the ultimate goal of increasing African American representation within the practice of law. The program is also a fitting way for us to honor the memory of D. Augustus Straker, who in 1890 became the first African-American attorney to argue a case before the Michigan Supreme Court and A. Kay Stanfield Spinks, for founding the Straker Foundation and the establishment of the scholarship award.

To qualify for the Straker Scholarship, applicants must be enrolled in a certified law school program and entering their second or third year of law school in the fall of 2018. An application form should be completed and submitted to the email address of Aaron V. Burrell at ABurrell@dickinsonwright.com no later than Friday, May 24, 2019 (*deadline extended*).

Successful applicants must demonstrate scholarly dedication, be involved in school and community activities and be able to clearly articulate a vision which indicates prospects for long-term success in the practice of law in the State of Michigan, especially as it relates to representing people of color within the legal system.

Only students entering their second- or third-year in the fall of 2019 are eligible to apply.

A typewritten description of your career aspirations and why you should receive a scholarship, in 300 words or less.

Applications will be judged based on quality and content. No additional writing samples will be considered.

Applicants must demonstrate scholarly dedication, be involved in school and community activities and be able to clearly articulate a vision which indicates prospects for long-term success in the practice of law in the State of Michigan, especially as it relates to representing people of color within the legal system.

Finalists may be contacted for a personal interview and/or requested to provide copies of their law school transcripts. Scholarship winners will be notified Monday, May 31, 2019, and scholarships will be awarded June 6, 2019 at the Community House in Birmingham, Michigan during the D. Augustus Straker Bar Association’s Annual Trailblazer Award and Scholarship Dinner.